Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel, That's So Productions, Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment, It's A Laugh Productions and Warren & Rinsler Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories.
Author's Note: Finally, The Trip… has come back… to Fan Fiction! Okay, I'm sorry I'm late! Last time, there were 3 days in between the last chapter of Continental Divide and its companion piece, Fun and Loving in Las Vegas. This time, five days has passed since the end of Vegas.
But I am back with what I promised from the start, the sequel to Thunderstorms. This is called The L Word. If you are familiar with the Showtime series, the only similarity to their "L Word" and mine, besides the lesbian theme, is that the title of every episode of the show begins with the letter L just as every chapter title in my story will begin with the letter L.
So… as Kool Moe Dee said back in the day…
Ridin a crescendo wave to save the mental
State of the fan, so he can understand my pencil
Rhymes in the highest form
I'ma drop it on ya like a bomb
When it explodes, I'll blow up
A few casualties but so what
If you're slow, you'll blow
You know, you go
I flow, I throw, All-Pro
I go to work
The L Word
Chapter 1
Laying Claim to the Name
20 August 2006
Dear Diary,
I never thought in a million years that at 20 years old I would re-start my diary. It's been four years since I've made an entry of any kind. I figured that since a new chapter in my life has started I would start a brand new journal. And since this is the first time I have written in this journal, I figured it would be appropriate to introduce myself.
My name is Raven Lydia Baxter. Like I said before I am 20 years old. I am a sophomore at Cal-Berkeley. My father and my younger brother Cory live in San Francisco. My mother is studying law in England, but is coming home for good in July. I am very blessed to have TWO best friends. My best friend Eddie goes to school in Philadelphia and studies music. He's gonna be a huge rapper and record producer some day. Then there is Chelsea.
Chelsea is more than just my best friend. She is my friend, my conscience, my partner-in-crime, my sounding board, my verbal punching bag (occasionally), my comic relief and most importantly… the love of my life.
My best female friend is my girlfriend. My soul mate. There is nothing on this earth that I wouldn't do for her. Nothing I wouldn't sacrifice for her, even shoes (don't tell her that though!) I didn't mean to fall in love with her. It just happened. Funny thing is I never saw it coming. I should have with this "gift" that I have. I'm not going to get into it, just in case this journal ever falls into the wrong hands. Let's just say that things like that normally don't surprise me the way this did.
Our parents were sure surprised though! Her parents were cool after the initial shock wore off. My parents… well my mom was a lot cooler than I expected. Dad is still having a tough time accepting it though. He sees "his little girls" every time he looks at us. I know his fear has to be walking in on an intimate moment. He is on eggshells when we are around. It's gotten tougher since Mom went back to England after her visit. Maybe it will get better when she comes back.
Then there is the matter of that word. You know, the "L" word. Not the cable series, but the actual word. Chelsea and I have yet to use it. Not that we are scared or ashamed of it. We just don't describe ourselves with that word. We have said that we are together or we are lovers, we even smushed our names together and collectively call ourselves "Chrave", you know like the two girls called "Breeze" in Talladega Nights. I know, we live in San Francisco, shouldn't be a problem… And as a matter of fact, it's not a problem. Here it goes, for the first time anywhere.
Ladies and Gentleman, my name is Raven Lydia Baxter, and I am a lesbian.
It was the last day Raven and Chelsea would spend at home before returning to campus for the fall semester. They were entering their junior year looking forward what was ahead of them.
Raven received a surprising phone call from Donna Cabonna a few weeks earlier asking her if she were interested in a part time job as a design assistant. Donna has several new lines of clothing coming out in the spring and is ramping up design and production. After securing the promise of working around her class schedule and the promise that she wouldn't be treated like a lackey, Raven agreed to work for the fashionista.
Chelsea has a paid internship lined up with the Environmental Defense League and after talking to Raven's mother is considering studying environmental law. She has talked to several advisors about what it would take to get into law school. Given Chelsea's grade point average and class standing, she has been given a good chance of getting into someone's law school if she decides that's the path she wants to take.
Raven was at home working on an outfit she was designing for Chelsea and listening to the TV in the background when there was a knock on the bedroom door.
"Come in!" Raven said, not looking up from her sewing machine.
"Hey Peaches." The familiar voice cooed.
Without looking up from her work, "My strawberry goddess." Raven looked up at Chelsea standing at the top of the basement steps. "Bring it in for the real thing." Raven motioned to her as Chelsea came over to the table for a kiss.
"How'd you get in?" Raven queried.
"Cory was on his way to Larry's and he let me in." Chelsea replied.
"I didn't even know Nasty McNasty was back in the house." Raven said.
"Whatcha makin?" Chelsea said as she stood over Raven's shoulder.
"Something for you. That's all I'm gonna say." Raven said.
"Denim. Nice choice. Then I'll be dressed like you."
"You say that like I wear denim all the time." Raven huffed.
"Rae. I can't see your legs underneath the table but I'll bet you have a pair of booty tight jeans on with sparkly studs and a pair of stiletto heels or high-heeled boots." Chelsea confidently predicted.
"You think you know me so well don't you?" Raven shot back.
"Prove me wrong then."
"I don't have to prove anything!" Raven replied as her voice shot up about five octaves.
"The prosecution rests." Chelsea said with a smug smirk.
"So you're really thinking about going to law school?" Raven said; Chelsea's last response triggering the subject change.
"I really am. I think I could affect some real change for the environment that way." Chelsea said.
"You know I've always dreamed of being married to a lawyer." Raven said with a starry-eyed look.
"You just want to get into my legal briefs."
"Nice comeback, Daniels."
"Can I ask you a question?" Chelsea took on a more serious tone.
"Sure. What's on your mind?" Raven responded.
"Do you realize that we've never called ourselves lesbians?" Chelsea's question struck a chord inside Raven considering she had just written about that in her journal that morning.
"Actually, I was thinking about that this morning." Raven said. "Does that bother you?"
"No. I am who I am and I am what I am. And you are who you are and you are what you are." Chelsea rattled off.
"If you break out with Green Eggs and Ham…"
"C'mon Rae, I'm serious." Chelsea said with a half-chuckle.
"It doesn't matter to me one way or another." Raven began. "What matter's to me is that I love you and you love me. Somebody wants to call us lesbians, fine. Having an alternative lifestyle, ok. Partners, cool. Significant other, whatever. Everything else is window dressing. Anybody calls us dykes or carpet munchers, I'm going to their chin!"
"If we ever broke up, would you date guys again?" Chelsea questioned.
Raven stood up and walked over to Chelsea who was sitting on the edge of the bed. She knelt down in front of the redhead and cupped her face with both hands.
"Not long after we started dating I had a long talk with myself. And I told myself that I am only crossing the aisle for one woman and one woman only. Her name is Chelsea Ophelia Daniels. There is no other woman for me." Raven declared.
"I was hoping you'd say that." Chelsea said softly as she placed a tender kiss on Raven's lips. "So that settles it! We are who we are. I love you. You love me. We are together as one." Chelsea proclaimed.
"So go ahead and say it." Raven prodded.
"I just did." Chelsea said.
"You know what I meant. You know what, I'll go first. I am Raven Baxter, and I am a Chelsea Daniels' lesbian partner."
Chelsea stood up, looked Raven in the eye and firmly shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Chelsea Daniels and I am Raven Baxter's lesbian partner."
"How do you do?" Raven said.
"How do you do?" Chelsea replied.
"Well, Ms. Lesbian Partner, what do you want to do right now?" Raven queried.
"Can we go eat? I'm starving!" Chelsea said.
"How about going down to The Chill Grill? My father put a fruit salad on the menu."
"You're gonna eat a fruit salad?" Chelsea incredulously asked.
"No sweetie, that's for you. I'm getting some ribs!" Raven said. "You don't get curves like this eating fruit salad."
Chelsea cleared her throat and boosted her bosom with her hands.
"Ok, so fruit does YOUR body good!" Raven relented as they got up to leave. "Crazy, fruit-eating lesbian." Raven playfully muttered.
"But I'm your crazy, fruit-eating lesbian." Chelsea countered.
Raven paused and smiled at the thought. "Yeah… you are. Come on. Our lunch awaits."
Chapter One is over and done. It feels good to be back. What did you think? PLEASE REVIEW!